Justin Grant

He is a perfect example of Giri-Ninjo in my opinion.

I am speculating that this is for/from Saigo Takamori 西郷 隆盛 from Satsuma.

Yes, I know the silk issue. Trevor (Toraba) told me the odoshi was redone in the last 50 years, but to be honest, it looks newer. But, I took clear fishing lines and ran it along the mimi ito and took the majority of the weight off the bits that hang. Again, in the same vein, just trying to cover my arse.

Richard, LED's do not produce UV. I also use LED light on my 150 gallon reef tank and keep many SPS and LPS corals that are sensitive to UV and they are growing like weeks. When under Metal Halides, they need UV filters over the bulbs from killing the Acro's. Let me be honest, I don't have the light on but to show it off in detail once in a while. The room is rather dark, even in the middle of summer. The temp and humidity stay at or around 68 deg 45-50%. The armor is cleaned every 90 days with a concoction recommended by Ian. The glass is rated as 99% UV filtering, and I have to trust that it works, and the room is fairly dark 24x7. All of the lamps in the room use LED bulbs. As I said, I could stash it away in the cellar and just know it is there, or I can employ a high degree of safeguards and enjoy it. To put the level of light in the room into perspective, you would not be able to read a book in the room, even with the lamps on. The light used during the pictures you see was just after completion of the case a year ago. Ian provided me with plenty of cautionary tails and I put as many safeguards in place as I could taking my approach of displaying it. If I took a picture of the case now, it would be hard to make out due to the low levels of light. Again, it is simply a room people pass by and don't use, so I use it for my armor. If I feel like looking at it, I can sit in a chair and stair at it for a new moments and then move on. Each person has to make up his or her own mind on how to display or store the armor they own.

Thank you. Yes, the entire back comes off with 4 draw tight buckles. The glass on the sides and bottom extend 3/8" and slide into groves in the back panel. The buckles draw it in and tight. The glass is set in groves on each piece of wood. I cut a single grove the entire length with a table saw that is .250" wide and .375" deep for the .180" glass (room for wood to flex without cracking the glass). I then put a small amount of silicone in the grove and placed the fixed glass pieces into the wood. The wood pieces are joined with wood pegs that are glued. Very solid, but if I did it again, I would find a way to hinge the back, but I manage

Hi Dave, You are correct, and I used UV filtered glass, filtering 99% of UV light, and I have since moved it to be nowhere near a window or direct light. That room is the "to look at room" and we have light blocking drapes over the windows now. I had to make a choice, hide it away or employ a high degree of safe guards so I can keep it out and enjoy it. It is a personal call most of us have to make that care for these wonderful items for the next generation. UV Glass, LED, and thick drapes will help, I also keep that room at 68 degrees 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and I have a room humidifier that keeps it at 45%. Best I can offer.

I made this case for my armor. It is oak wood with black stain with 1/8" tempered glass on the front, left and right sides and bottom. The back is a 1/4" mirror and the top is a sealed oak lid with LED lights and a hygrometer to measure and record humidity. It is not "air tight" but restricts air movement slowing the temperature changes within the room to take hours to equal-liberalize, thus preventing the urushi from cracking. It also prohibits any pests from entering easily, and LED light does not attract flying insects. I am sure there are better, and if you want to know how I did this, I can email you the details. Justin

The kanji can simply mean "up or top" if you take it at the simplest meaning. Ue or Jou are the two basis readings. Age, that is for the experts... I am not qualified.

That is what I though, 2 and 9 or Ni Kyuu . If it were 29, the numbers would be different Ni Jyuu Kuyy (2 10 9 ). Sorry, no Japanese Font on this computer.

Ian, I'd love to see that. You have all of the cool stuff. If you ever decide to adopt a well established yank and his family, that will visit rarely, but will send holiday cards, keep me in mind! Thanks for the link KM Here is one I have had my eye on, and the reason for the question. The price is 4K! http://www.samurai-gallary.com/z340.htm

I am looking for a decent sashimono and wondered what to look out for, etc . I don't get taken. Funds are tight. Thanks Justin

I am embarrassed to say that when I made my replacement rod, I used a piece of oak dowel rod and stained it to match. Can I see pictures or specification for what one should look like for a 3 monme rifle?

Hi John and Eric. John, I have the IU Main Lib and a major local version. I can narrow this down to just the Edo period if that helps. What I wanted to show, or dispel, is that all Samurai were these mythological, glamorous gods that romped Japan. I figured if I had financial data, this would help support my argument for the paper. Eric, Your link helps a bunch! Thanks Justin

I am looking for documentation that references Pay and Position for Samurai. I am writing a paper for school and it is about the wide range of financial and social situations for the Samurai within a domain and across the ages. I need to know if any of you know where I can find such information, be it in Japanese or English. Thanks Justin

You are right Dave, that is what appealed to me, it was what an average bushi would have had to wear, functional, and not flashy. Thanks.

Dave is correct. My armor above is considered by some low end, but to me, I am proud to own it and display it. I have hopes of owning a "better" set one day, but kids and other financial drains take first shot at the cash. Enjoy what you have, let it keep the fire for learning alive and keep reading and going to shows and learn!

Luc, I have my armor in a glass case, the glass is UV filtering and I have LEDs in the case, they are only on when I want to view it in detail. The case buffers the armor from rapid weather changes, heat or cold, and helps maintain the humidity. I keep the case at 45-55% in the summer, and it is not easy... In the winter I run a humidifier in the same room as the armor as the humidity will drop to 18-25% in the room with the gas heat I have. The humidifier will increase the room to 40% max, so the armor case will drop to 40% in the winter.

Inside facing each other. Here is my armor, notice the suneate.

John, you are correct, for official duty, the primary lords kamon was displayed, after all, it was the head family. :D

I would like to add a bit of information to Big Brian's post above. According to the research from Professor Rubinger and his book on literacy in Tokugawa Japan, the use of Surnames and Kamons among villagers and merchants, etc exploded in the last 50/75 years of the Tokugawa Bakufu. Then in Meiji, all bets are off as everything was for sale to the west. The use of these heraldic emblems was strictly controlled until this point, but this does not mean that there was abuse of the system, I am not so naive, but I would not say that the entire Tokugawa period was a free for all on Kamon adoption. Now, to the other Brian's kamon, they are very correct, unless you can trace it back to an owner, you just know who the original kamon belonged to.

KM I have never seen anyone use a stand like that. This is typically how those stands are used. But if it work! http://www.shogunart.com/other.html

Ian, You get all of the fun! If you ever get a chance to snap some photos, please do! KM, That is the same basic stand I use, but modified to allow the dou to rest on a new cross bar at the bottom to reduce the stress on the shoulder straps. Also an adapter on the head to remove the stress on the delicate ukibari (liner)

Ian, Thanks, and I understand. I thought I would use clear fishing line, and weave it in between the mimi ito on each gessan and run it up to the inside of the dou and fastened it just enough to remove the tension of each gessan. I have factored and modified my stand to have a support on the bottom of the dou to remove the weight and stress from the shoulders. I also employ the same measure on the kabuto. I also wrap the shoulder bar on the stand with heavy wool. All of which are your modification advise a few years ago that I took to heart. It may not be practical, but I will try it. I would like the option of switching back and forth to change the look of the room a bit. Ian, in your book you have a photo of a room full of armor and most in figures. Do you know how that was done or where they obtained the bodies? Barry, thanks for the lead, I'll reach out to them.

I have the traditional adjustable neck stand under my armor that sits on the bitsu and the whole contraption is located in a sealed glass case to control temp and humidity. However, never being one to let things be, I want to create a stand to make the armor stand. I was looking at the images from the display of the Barbier-Mueller show that Berry Hennick posted. The armor were in standing position and I want to try this. Anyone have any suggestions? I looked for the mannequins online and they are salty if you can find a 65" to 67" tall version with the right stance and arms in the right position.. So, I thought I would make one from wood, and since the hakama, and the rest of the armor would hide it, what would it matter. Anyone ever try this, or have suggestions on how to make it? The case I have is 76" tall, 32" wide and 38" deep, and the bottom will have two rods about 8-10" long that protrude up and into the feet/legs of the stand to keep it from falling over... I am hoping that there are pictures of something I can follow here.. Maybe I am in new ground and will adapt the current stand I have and add legs... Anyway, need to do something now that the weather has forced me inside.... Thanks

Also, for comparison, here is a Hanpo from what I believe is the early/mid Edo that belongs to a matching set of armor I purchased from Toraba (these are Trevor's images)